Off-road adventure for a good cause

Quads 4 Quads is a unique opportunity to ride all the way from Joburg to Durban (and back again, if you choose) on dirt.

Johannesburg - Entries have opened for the annual Quads 4 Quads charity off-road event, a dirt-biking adventure that raises funds for a great cause.

The event, which is organised by Family Adventures and collects money for the QuadPara Association of South Africa, is open to riders of off-road motorcycles, quads or side-by-sides and takes place in early October between Brakpan and Ballito.

The first leg will start at Carnival City in Brakpan on 2 October and arrive in Ballito on 5 October; the return leg will start from Ballito on 9 October to arrive back at Carnival City on 12 October.

Participants may take part in one or both legs, and the one-way cost per rider is R3500.

Riders will need to bring someone along with a bakkie or trailer as a backup vehicle, at a cost of R2500 per person.

OFF-ROAD THE WHOLE WAY

The appeal of the ride is that it’s off-road the whole way, and organisers, who have arranged passage through farms with land owners, promise to take trail-riding enthusiasts to places that most people will never get to see.

Glenn Foley of Family Adventures said: “From the rolling hills of KwaZulu-Natal to thick indigenous forests to rocky mountain passes, dams, rivers and beautiful farmlands, you’ll see it all

“There’s approximately 250km of riding per day and the terrain changes all the time.”

Sleepovers are at small towns and communities along the trail.

The entry fee includes all meals and camping (own tents), paramedics, a commemorative tee shirt, and a backup truck.

It also includes a substantial donation to QASA, which strives to prevent spinal cord injury as well as protect and promote the interests of people with mobility impairments. In the past 10 years Quads 4 Quads has raised more than R8-million for QASA.

Ari Serilis, the chairperson of QASA, said: “It’s an amazing event. It has really grown over the years and we are always humbled by the bikers’ generosity.”

Serilis, himself a quadriplegic, takes part in the event every year and this time he will be aboard his adapted Polaris RZR 900. For more information about the Quads 4 Quads event or to book your entry, contact 011-979-1363 or e-mail Family Adventures.